About Car Insurance On Houston DUI-Related Accidents
Any time you collide with another vehicle while driving, your car insurance should cover the cost of any damage. If the accident was a result of drunk driving, however, will the repairs still be covered? Do car insurance companies provide coverage for accidents resulting from drunk driving?
Car Insurance Companies Usually Cover Accidents Caused By Drunk Driving
Even though the majority of car insurance companies cover DUI-related accidents, they don’t cover other activities that intentionally break the law. For instance, if you purposely set fire to your vehicle, the cost won’t be covered. An act like this is considered insurance fraud, which means that your insurer won’t cover it.
Driving after drinking too much alcohol or doing drugs is against the law. In this case, however, any resulting collisions are classified as being accidental. Even though you most likely knew you were doing something illegal when you chose to drive while intoxicated, you probably didn’t have the intention of getting into a wreck.
With the example of setting your car on fire, the act itself was done intentionally. When you get a DUI, however, it is slightly different. Even though you know that driving while intoxicated is illegal, you aren’t intentionally planning on getting in an accident.
There Are Other Harsh Penalties For Driving Under The Influence
Even though your insurance company will most likely cover the cost of any accidents resulting from driving under the influence, there are a lot of bigger concerns to take into account. The penalties associated with drunk driving are steep – especially if a collision occurs. Some of those penalties or consequences include the following:
- You will most likely have to pay more for car insurance. Most car insurance companies increase rates after someone is in an accident that was their fault. They also increase rates for customers who are arrested for driving under the influence. That means that your monthly insurance costs will probably skyrocket.
- Your insurance policy may be canceled or your insurer may opt out of renewing your coverage. Even if they cover the accident, they could submit a policy cancellation directly afterward.
- You could face prison time and can even be charged with the crime of involuntary manslaughter. Car insurance doesn’t mean much when you are in jail.
- You could be charged and convicted of driving under the influence. As a result, you may have to pay hefty fines or spend time in jail. You also will then have a criminal record.
Final Thoughts
In almost all cases, car insurance companies cover the cost of DUI-related accidents. However, there still are serious consequences that you will face if you are involved in an accident while you are intoxicated. For one thing, you may have to pay a lot higher rates for your insurance. Your insurance policy could even be canceled. In many cases, the total cost of your car insurance could double.
Your insurance provider may also submit a challenge to get out of paying your claim. For instance, they might claim that you intentionally got into an accident. Since insurance companies don’t have to provide coverage for acts that are done on purpose, they may be able to deny your claim if they can prove that you intended to get in an accident.
If you have any DUIs on your record, you will have to pay much higher rates for car insurance. The same goes for having a history of accidents where you were at fault. An accident involving a DUI falls into both categories. Because of that, your insurance rates will usually be extremely high from this point on.
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